Canning is a gift that I've inherited from my mother. It's the much cherished childhood memory that holds her close to me. So when my husband and I bought a small farm in Windsor, PA and mulberries started popping up all over it, I knew I just had to make some Jam.
That's how it all started. One recipe turned into many. Some are old family recipes, some I've just found and tweaked. Some I've even just made up on the fly. I've always had a knack for building flavors, and that's really the secret to cooking... Flavor. Ingredients play a large roll in building the ideal flavor. So, we grow and use our own fruit when at all possible. Our friends and neighbors even help out by bringing us blackberries from their bushes or giving us access to the pair trees on their land. But, when we do buy ingredients, we buy fresh. With our farm being so close to Lancaster, we have access to many local produce stands and farmers markets. Finding the best and freshest ingredients at market allows us to make the best tasting food while still keeping the price affordable. We also use all natural ingredients. No artificial sweeteners or colors. Just simple food made simply. If you decide to give us a try, I sincerely hope you enjoy our products as much as I've enjoyed making them.
-Nicole
You may be wondering about our name. My name is Ug. Not my legal name, mind you. My given name is Levi, but that name was given to me after the name Ug. Let me explain. I'm sure my mother would be happy to tell you what an adorable baby I was. Blonde hair, bright blue eyes. But, in this family we have a unique sense of humor. So, to get a rise out of all the women fawning and cooing over me, my father had made the off hand remark: "Eh, all babies are ugly, we should name this one Ug". I have two older brothers... It stuck. So I became Ug. Fast forward a couple of decades to when we were looking for a new home we came across a little old farm house sitting vacant in desperate need of some TLC. After we closed the sale I made the off hand remark: "This place needs a ton of work, we should name it Uglie Acres... It stuck. And so it became Uglie Acres and we wouldn't change a thing.
-Levi (Ug)